The Russellville Democrat., 1887-05-25
Washing ton Letter.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON. MAY 20, 1887.

WASHINGTON, May ~, 1851
Soldier boys from Puget Sound,
Texas, New Orleans and other points
have already arrived, and thousands
Of others are bowling along over the
railroads on their way to Camp
George Washington. The latter
name is the christening that the
camp will receive on next Monday,
when the drill will be formally
opened. At the camp ground no
drum has beat yet, but the reville is
sounded by the lively ring OF hun
dreds of hammers.
The busiest scenes are around the
base OF the Washington Monument
Scores Of men are at work there put
ting down plank floors for the tents
Nearly all Of the Monument grounds
will be appropriated for this pur
pose. Scores OF carpenters are also
working hard on the grand stand in
the drill Enclosure from which the
contest will be viewed. The a.iil
ground is probss!!.s sic nnest piece
of grass lantt which could have been
/ found for the purpose in the whole
country. 1t is now entirely enclosed
within board fence twelve feet
high. There are about ten acres Of
green as smooth and fat IS a tennis
lawn. The plot is oval and the
grand stsnd extends just half Ground
it. From this the view is very fine
whatever way you look.
| To the southwark the white mar.
BILE Monument-the highest in the
world-glistens in the sunshine. The
view northward is particularly fine.
To the left lie the magnificent War,
State and Navy Department build.
ing, and TO the right the solid. old,
granite Treasury, while between the
two the White House smiles through
groups Of tall green trees. The Cor
coran building, Albaugh's Theatre
and the Panorama building of the
battle of Bulls Run are all near by,
and although rather too far for per.
feet satisfaction. the roof Of any OF
then would afford clear view OF the
entlre grill ground.
The Interstate Commerce Com
mission has returned home from It's
wanderings, and has decided it can
best attend to its duties by remain
ing in Washington after this. The
Commissioners have much work be-
fore them yet before they can give q
final decision as to the famous long
and short haul clause. The Queen
and Crescent and the Illinois Cen.
trail railroads have not yet present.
ed their cases, and their testimony
will be taken here. Other roads
have asked permission to submit
written statements, giving the facts
more in detail than they could in
their testimony before the Commits
sion. These documents will take
time for consideration. The testi-
mony the Commission took on it's
trip has not yet been written out,
and when it is it will have to be
gone over carefully, so that you see
there Is considerable work to be
done before decision can be reach
ed.
The rules adopted by the Civil
Service Commission and approved
by the President have been the sole
topic Of discussion among Depart
ment clerks for the past fortnight.
The agitation among the old en-
ployers is almost painful to see.
These people are very panicky now
adays at best, and anything looking
to more rigid wedding out of Repub-
licans frightens them, as we'll it may.
Most of them would be in deplor-
able condition If removed from their
official positions.
Nothing Is calculated to cause
greater CONSERVATION in Washington
than the contingency OF dismissal,
based on the application af new and
strange conditions. Whenever q !
vacancy occurs all the clerks of the
Department in the class below it
must become candidates for promo
ton and face the competitive ex.
animation. They have no discre.
ton in the matter, for the order is |
mandatory. Thus, not only does
the clerk best fitted for the promo
tion get the vacant place, but the
status of all the rest is ascertained.
Persons who get an average rs per
cent in theSmarkings of the exami-
ners, as you remember, are secured
in their positions and are declared
eligible for promotion. All who fail
to obtain that average are re-examin
ed in six months, and, If they again
fail, they become eligible to deduc-
ton or dismissal.
So of course the terrible chances
involed in the new rules cause great
excitement among Government en-
ployes. Four-tifths of all of them in
Washington we're appointed for sup
posed party service, under Republi-
can administrations, and while many
OF them are Incompetent they have
held their places because it was diff
ficult to get rid Of them. 1t is to be
hoped these rules will enable the
heads Of bureaus to cast off some
and to promote deserving